Recognizing the enormous burden placed upon health care delivery services by fear of the dentist, the proposed research aims to identify a practical method of eliminating dental fears in the dental practice setting. We have shown in a laboratory situation that both the psychological procedure of systematic desensitization and a more cognitive approach called stress management are effective for reducing the fears of dental phobics. The proposed research will involve the development of systematic desensitization and stress management procedures that can be utilized in dental practice, and the thorough evaluation of those procedures for reducing the fear of average dental patients, and the impact of the programs in aiding the dentist in providing care efficiently. Manipulations: In a controlled experiment with fearful dental patients in average dental practices, a systematic desensitization procedure and a stress management procedure will be evaluated against two control groups. Measure: Assessment of patients' fears and dental health will be performed prior to and subsequent to the psychological manipulations. Changes in the dentist's perception of the patients' co-operativeness and the percentage of the dentist's time spent actually providing care will be assessed. Upon follow-up examination (one year) the long-term effectiveness of the treatment will be assessed by a further assessment of patients' psychological orientation and dental health.